Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today is National TAFE Day, a day when we recognise the work that is done by TAFE colleges throughout Australia. I met with TAFE teachers today and I thank them very much for coming to Canberra to talk with me. Unfortunately, this government is preparing itself to vacate the space of vocational training. I say that is not good enough. When you couple it with what has happened in New South Wales, where the Baird government's Smart and Skilled program has led to the loss of 2,000 jobs, I would say once again it is not good enough. In TAFE there are fewer students, fewer teachers and higher fees and that is not what the Australian people expect.

I am very concerned about rumours I have heard circulating within my community that the Baird government is moving to close Belmont TAFE—a TAFE that has been well supported by students, well supported by people in the area for many years. I hear the reason that this is being considered is because the government wants to look at the economic return on a TAFE college. Well news for the New South Wales government: every $1 you spend on education and TAFE, you get an $8-return—and that is according to the Boston Group's report.